Hey everyone! Mslead here to bring you another bulk fic! This fic is WAY longer than Empire, so it's going to take me a little longer to get it all posted. That being said, I hope you all enjoy it anyway. This fic has some darker themes to it, so this is your warning now since I'm posting this in bulk and it will NOT BE PROOF READ BEFORE.

READ THE WARNINGS:

There is blood in this fic, dark themes, talk of insanity, starvation and the occasional graphic description of abuse. This is also a mature fic so there will be some sex scenes. If that is too much, please do not read this fic.

CHAPTER 1

The soul is the essence of life.

Without the soul, nothing can exist. It binds and anchors the life energy that permeates creation into place allowing for life itself to take shape and grow. A single spark of life energy is all that's necessary to begin the journey, but without a soul to sustain it, the energy eventually bleeds away. Leaving behind a lifeless husk.

Understanding this principle is the first, and most basic, tenant of magic. For without the soul to bind and direct life energy, magic itself would not be possible.

There are none who understand this tenant better than the necromancer. Keepers of balance, and often the arbiters of life and death, it is a necromancer's sacred duty to ensure that the flow of life energy never stagnates or becomes corrupted. For if it did, magic itself would suffer grave consequences.

Thus, it falls to us few brave enough to embrace both life and death and all its meanings to walk the line others dare not approach. No matter the cost.

-::-

"You sure about this Layla?"

Layla smiled sadly at the man who had become far more than a mere mentor in her youth and nodded, "I'm afraid it's necessary."

Gajeel frowned uncomfortably, "There's gotta be some other way." He protested, "You know I ain't the best with kids. And there are spells, protections, you can put up!"

"Do you really think I haven't done that already?" Layla huffed impatiently, "Gajeel, I've taken every precaution I know, and borrowed a few more, but I can't take the chance it won't be enough." She sighed, "Jude and I have become far more successful and prominent than I ever dreamed we could be. We can't just vanish into the crowd. Not anymore."

"What about huntin' these lunatics down?" Gajeel suggested, "That'd end the problem?"

"Yes, but for how long?" Layla countered, "There's always someone stupid or desperate enough to take a deal from him and you know it." She reached forward and grasped his hands, "Please Gajeel. You know I'll be as careful as I can, but there aren't any guarantees. Especially for the likes of me and my daughter."

He sighed, "You're sure then?" He asked, "She's gonna follow your footsteps?"

Layla's lips twitched upwards wryly, "I'll say. I caught her talking to a wild forest spirit just last week. There's little chance Lucy will be able to resist the call of her bloodline."

Gajeel nodded and curled his hand over hers, "Alright then squirt." He replied, "I'll do it. But you damned well better do your best to make sure it's just a precaution you got that! I've buried enough of your damn line prematurely."

Layla smiled in relief and nodded as she slid the papers across the table to him, "So have I you old vampire. So have I."

Gajeel glared at the papers as if they had personally offended him. And in a way they had. To him, they represented the end of Layla's life. As if she were seeing the end of her life had already accepted her fate.

He wanted to deny the possibility, but he couldn't deny the truth that nothing was absolute. He was old enough to see dragons fall and friends turn into enemies.

So it was with a heavy heart he scrawled his name in large, jagged letters under Jude and Layla's names to be the benefactor of their business until Lucy turned eighteen.

Under that he jotted his name again under another line which put their only daughter Lucy, in his care should anything happen to her parents.

He pressed his hand flat against the table, glaring at Layla, "Promise me you ain't gonna do anything stupid."

Layla gave him a sad smile and slid the paper back to herself where the notary was waiting.

"Thank you Gajeel," she apologized to him but something in her expression was resigned, "don't worry. This is only a precaution."

Gajeel didn't feel so confident about that, but watched as the forms were legalized. Before he even realized it, he had become Lucy Heartfilia's godfather.

-::-

Natsu scowled as he listened to his dad thumping around outside his private lair, the pain in his neck throbbing hotly under the bandage. As was so often the case, Acnologia had come home snarling about the stupid mortals he had to work through, and Natsu hadn't been quick enough to bare his throat in submission.

The resulting fury had led to a beating he was already healing from and a laceration on his neck bad enough to require bandaging.

His dad has, of course, been apologetic the moment the blood had started flowing, but Natsu wasn't interested in apologies.

It had been getting worse for years and he was getting tired of it. He knew he couldn't beat his dad, not yet anyway, but he was tired of bearing the brunt of the elder dragon's rage. He tried his best to stay on the right side of Acnologia's temper, but it was never enough, and he was sick of it.

He glared at his window and contemplated trying to escape through it again. He'd tried for the first time a couple years ago after his father had drunkenly raged about some dragon called Igneel and how Natsu was growing up an exact replica of him.

The roar his father had nearly unleashed at the time had terrified him and he'd bolted before he'd been properly aware of what he was doing. Not that he'd gotten far before his dad caught up to him, all apologies once again, but it had given him the start of an idea. And a goal.

One day he would escape. He would leave this weirdly wrong nest and never look back. No matter how long it took or how hard it was he would do it.

His father sounded like he was in his usual blend of mad-at-everything-but-not-exclusively-Natsu and wondered if he dared to stage another escape attempt now while he was still distracted.

He felt a thrill of fear shoot through him as he contemplated his options. Outside of the nest, it was hell. Literally. The home to all demons.

Acnologia was terrifying enough on his own that all demons small and large steered away from their nest. But outside of it, Natsu would be hunted down like the rest of their species.

That much Natsu believed to be true. Their race of demons were extremely oriented towards packs. It was how they thrived. Natsu felt that instinct as true as anything else, but there were none of their kind left.

According to Acnologia, the were all hunted down, most often in their youth because of how they gained their power when they were older.

Acnologia had only been spared his due to being contracted with a human. At that point, Natsu learned not to ask his father any more questions about it. It would often send his dad into a blind rage that lasted for hours.

Still, it had breed a certain level of caution into Natsu over venturing out on his own.

Other demons would enslave him or harvest him for his parts. They would kill and torture him simply for being the son of Acnologia, much less being what he was.

Natsu buried his face in his scarf, listening to his father snarl out orders and demands for his target to be eliminated.

The scarf had his fathers magic in it, comforting and warm. It was so unlike how Acnologia felt at any time, Natsu had to wonder what happened to his father from the time he was hatched to now for such a dark change to take place.

Still, it sent a wave of reassurance and strength through Natsu, and he huffed out a breath, deciding to take the risk again. Perhaps this time, this time he would make it far enough.

His neck throbbed in protest, not liking the idea of moving. Especially not in the rough and unwelcoming terrain of hell, but Natsu was already pressing a hot hand against the lock on his window to melt it through.

Anywhere was better than here. Even hell.

He scrambled out the window while his father was distracted, not even noticing how he tripped an alarm his father had set.

With lungs burning, Natsu didn't even make it past the boundaries of their territory before Acnologia's shadow descended down on him. Angry and hellbent on retrieving his misbehaving son.

-::-

"Jellal!"

Jellal turned at the sound of his name and smiled at the beaming redhead jogging up to him, "Erza." He greeted, "I was hoping you'd be here."

"Well where else would I be?" Erza asked laughingly, "I'm a little worried about you though. You've been spending so much time alone lately." She peered at him with a frown, "What's wrong?"

Jellal felt his heart melt at her concern and reached out to grasp her hand, "I've just been thinking a lot." He confessed, and reached up to brush his fingers against her betrothal necklace, the mate to which he wore around his wrist, "Do you ever think about what our betrothal will mean?"

Erza cocked her head slightly, her frown deepening in confusion, "It means we'll be married someday." Worry replaced the confusion and she stepped back a little, "Why? Do you not want to do it?"

"No!" Jellal exclaimed hurriedly, "That's not it!" He reached over and pulled her into a hug, "I'm happy for our betrothal." He assured her, "You're my best friend." He pulled back a little to look at her, "I just feel..." He struggled a little, "Confined."

"By what?" Erza asked curiously.

Jellal looked out over the water longingly, "By our people." He admitted, and hung his head, "I know it sounds horrible, but I don't fit well among the Amazons."

Erza furrowed her brow, the confusion back, "But you're a great fighter! You're the only one our age who can beat me regularly! And your magic is powerful!"

He shook his head, "My magic is powerful, but it isn't suited to Amazon magic." He contradicted, "I have to constantly fight to get it to work." He looked down at his hands, "And I can feel things beyond what the elders say I should. There's so much more I could do if I just knew how." He looked at her, "Did you know I can almost taste the elements themselves?"

Erza frowned thoughtfully. That was definitely beyond the scope of most Amazonian magic. Theirs was primarily a martial magic. Suited to the battlefield and little else. Even her mother's enchanting ability had little application outside combat. Jellal sounded like he was talking about the potential for more. Much more.

"Then you should go to the mainland." She smiled in conclusion, causing him to jerk around to look at her in shock.

"What!"

Her smile widened, "You should head to mainland." She repeated firmly, "The outsiders know all kinds of magic we don't. If you can't find something that works for you here, maybe out there you can find what you're looking for."

"But... what about...?" He gripped his bracelet and she smiled, her hands resting over his.

"That won't change." She told him confidently, "I know I won't be allowed to leave until I'm of age, but you have more freedom than I do. If we can find a good teacher willing to take you I bet we have a shot at it! And I'll train extra hard so I can come join you as soon as possible!"

Jellal's expression softened into one of pure love, "And what of your people here princess?" He teased softly, "You're slated to be the next queen."

Erza lifted her chin stubbornly, "Mother's not going anywhere for a long time." She replied, "And I won't take over for her until you're with me."

Jellal gave Erza a hesitant smile, seeming to be hopeful for the option of learning more. He brushed his fingertips across his armored breastplate, over the etching that bore Erza's family crest.

He had always felt out of sorts among their people, except when he was with Erza. But he needed to be someone his queen could rely on. And if he had the opportunity to go out and learn more, so he could one day become a man Erza could rely on...

"Alright then, if you insist," Jellal gave her a boyish smile and laughed when Erza took his hand, "Is there anyone you think your mother would have in mind for me?"

"I'm sure she will," Erza gave him a bright smile, "She gets visitors from the mainland on occasion, and she speaks very highly of a man who I'm sure would be an excellent mentor."

"Anyone you and your mother would recommend will be good," Jellal said eagerly, his fingers squeezing hers.

They threaded through the lovely tree hangings, the vines and canopies that shielded them from the harsh sun overhead.

"Yes, but you have to promise to come back one day," Erza pulled him to the side to allow older Amazons to pass with loads of shields and magical artifacts, pushed along a heavy cart.

"To make good on our marriage?" Jellal laughed, looking at Erza's shy and suddenly uncertain face. He wrapped her up in a tight hug and he nodded, curling his fingertips in her scarlet locks.

"Nothing could keep me away."

Erza pulled away with a bright smile that left Jellal feeling all warm inside. Her joy was infectious as if his words had burned away all sense of doubts that remained.

"Then let's go talk to mother about penning a letter to Master Brain," Erza said fondly, "He will take excellent care of your education."

—::—

In a snowy mountain, quite a distance away from the Amazons home island, and yet somehow closer to Natsu's home in Hell, stood the smoking remains of a destroyed village.

Fire lashed out like angry hands at the black sky, directly in contrast with the bitter bite of the icy cold snapping at the fingers and toes of the town's inhabitants. A demon roared out its glee, standing stories taller than the tallest building in the small town. Among its destruction, it smashed and slaughtered every living creature it could get its claws on.

Following behind the raging demon, strode a single, skeletal looking man with hollow eyes and a permanent grin on his skull-like mouth. He collected the bodies and souls of those slain, striding after his demonic familiar without a care to the destruction left in his wake.

In the shambles of one house, a little girl was trying desperately to lift and tug away the debris from her fallen home. Under which was her little brother, trapped and shouting weakly for her to run away.

Their village was targeted because of what they were. The strength and power of the magic they manipulated was a closely guarded secret, known to only a few in their family.

Devil Slayers, capable of striking down demons of all strengths and sizes should they have to. They lived in relative isolation, honing their magic and traveling out away from their home for larger jobs.

It seemed like their secret had been found out.

Her mother and father were dead, but her little brother..! He could still be alive! He could still make it!

Even though the little girl knew how weak his cries had become before they had stopped entirely.

"Gray! Stay awake please!" She sobbed, her fingertips bloody and torn from scrabbling against the splintery house, "please you can't leave me here alone!"

"Ultear..." Gray's weak voice warned from under the wreckage. He coughed, and something about it sounded horribly wet, "...r-run..!"

Too late did she look up to find herself overshadowed by the skeletal man, his smiling face glaring down at her in a way that sent cold horror shooting down her spine.

She lashed a hand up, sending a thin rose vine of icy magic up to smack the necromancer in the face and try to get away, only for her magic to be slapped away.

He watched her in amusement and snapped his fingers.

The wreckage of her home shifted, pushing up enough for the figure of a man to slide out, lifting the roof up enough for a person to climb out.

"Dad!" Ultear cried out in joy that he was alive, only to freeze at the unresponsive way he moved and the milky look in his eyes.

Dead.

She screamed as the undead form of her father lunged for her, gripping her around the arms and hoisting her painfully into the air as if she weighed nothing. Tears stung her eyes, as she was unaware of her little brother managing to slide out from under the roof that their dad had shifted out of the way.

"The Devil slayers themselves, and so much potential with this one girl!" The necromancer cackled, "I believe I will take both of these lovely specimens. There will be plenty to learn from both of you."

"Come Deliora, quit playing in the snow. We've claimed our samples, both alive and dead. We should be able to garner quite a bit of information from the two of them," the necromancer chuckled, ignoring how Ultear screamed herself hoarse, crying out for her brother while her father obeyed his new master.

Gray, could only watch as he bled into the snow, coughing and wheezing weakly as the demon and necromancer who destroyed his life left with his only remaining family he had left.

Tears dropped down his face, freezing into his skin as he passed out in the wreckage.

Only to wake up hours later to a white haired boy with dark eyes staring at him from an inch away.

"Gildarts! He's awake!" The boy called, disappearing from Gray's vision.

Only to swiftly be replaced by a red headed man who had an impish smile and kind eyes. Gray groaned a little as the man gently hoisted him up from the snow.

"Alright, easy does it," he said gently, "I've got ya. Let's get you somewhere warm how 'bout?"

Gray didn't have enough strength in him to resist, even as the odd man and the weirder boy took him away from his wrecked home.